Blog

For students interested in computer science:

Code Ninjas in El Segundo is offering an information session on their upcoming Python Club (ages 13-18) program for students interested in practical applications of Computer Science. Python is an essential building block for many data science applications (i.e., Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, etc). More information will be shared on cost and start dates on Thursday, 1/19 at 7 pm via Zoom.

For zoom invite, click here.

For students interested in animation:

Have you ever wondered what it’s like being an intern at Pixar Animation Studios? Learn the inside scoop from former interns and their mentors in this panel series taking place on Sunday, January 29 at 3 pm. Panelists include former interns Asha Farmer, Gina Beneduci, and Sadie Shipton. The panel also includes their mentor and current art director working at Pixar, Carlos León. Learn what the day is like as an intern at Pixar, how to make your portfolio stand out to recruiters, gain advice from industry professionals, and more. The panel will be followed by a 15-minute Q+A at the end. To register, click here.

For more information, please contact Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

Welcome back Da Vinci students and families! I hope you all had a restful and joyful winter break. Please see the real-world learning opportunities below.

For students interested in STEM:

Cal State Dominguez Hills is having an iUrban Teen Summit on Saturday, January 21. It will be a day filled with fun and technology for middle and high school students. They will have workshops, ideation sessions, and even a parent roundtable. The event is free to attend and lunch will be provided. There will also be a raffle of cool prizes. To reserve your spot, click here.

For students interested in leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities:

Hidden Genius is offering a FREE, 15- month, training program that provides Black males in high school with upwards of 800 hours of holistic, trauma/healing-informed, high-touch mentorship and intensive training that seeks to develop youth into strong and responsible leaders equipped with coding and entrepreneurial skills, who can identify and develop tech-enabled solutions to address society’s most compelling challenges. The deadline is February 19. To apply click here.

For students interested in travel opportunities:

National Geographic is hosting a number of webinars related to their summer travel programs. Some destinations include the Canadian Arctic, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Iceland, Thailand, Tokyo, and Yellowstone! These travel experiences come at a cost and applications are now available. To learn more, click here. To learn about other opportunities currently available to students, click here.

To learn about other opportunities currently available to students, click here.

For students interested in media production:

Fresh Films is now enrolling for their free weekly filmmaking program. In-person classes take place on Thursdays after school at the Boys and Girls Club of the Los Angeles Harbor. Virtual classes are also available. Registration ends December 31st. Fresh Films is also offering participants ages 16 and older are eligible to gain an on-set apprenticeship or paid internship. Click here for more information.

For students interested in mentorship opportunities:

Stanford University’s Qualia Global Scholars Summer Mentorship Program for students in grades 6-12 is now taking applicants. This program is designed to empower students to become future global leaders in the fields of liberal arts and STEM. Students are paired with Stanford mentors. Need-based financial aid is available. Click here for more information.

For students interested in travel and photography:

National Geographic is offering a China expedition to high school students in the summer. Students will be feeding pandas, photographing the Great Wall, going on an overnight camping trek and meeting photo editors at National Geographic magazine’s China Headquarters. To learn more, click here.

For students interested in leadership and social justice:

Apply to be part of Harvard’s Caring Common’s Youth Advisory Board. This board brings together a diverse group of high school students from across the country who are committed to making schools more caring respectful places. As a member you will help create solutions to some of the most pressing social challenges. To learn more, click here. For the application, please email yab@makingcaringcommon.org.

For students interested in tech:

New Earth is offering paid tech training starting in January in the areas of IT Support, Web3, content creation, entrepreneurship training, coding, marketing, and more. To sign up for more information, click here.

The Paradigm Challenge: The Paradigm Challenge, a competition based in Los Angeles, invites students aged 4 to 18 worldwide to submit an idea, invention, mobile app, or any solution that solves real-life problems presented in this year’s Paradigm Challenge. Participants with the top idea from each age division (4-8, 9-13, and 14-18) move up to the next round and compete for The Paradigm Challenge Prize of $100,000. Learn more about it here.

For students interested in entrepreneurship:

The Conrad Challenge: The Conrad Challenge is a purpose-driven innovation competition creating the next generation of entrepreneurs who will change the world. Anyone aged 13-18 is called to expand their collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills. Design an innovation, solve an important problem, and change the world through this challenge. Registration is now open so register here.

Blue Ocean Competition: Blue ocean competition calls high school students from anywhere in the world to take part in the world’s biggest virtual entrepreneurship competition. Participants need to complete the online Blue Ocean Mini Course before submitting the pitch and they can compete individually or as part of a team (max 5 students per team). Learn more about it here.

For more information, please contact Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

For students interested in leadership opportunities:

The Metaverse Leadership Learning Academy is an initiative where students from LA County ages 14 to 18 years (high school students) have an opportunity to participate in a free 6-week Metaverse course and receive a certification. The Academy will be open to only the top 100 applicants across Los Angeles. To learn more, click here.

For students interested in art:

Indivisible Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to arts youth programming in Hermosa Beach, is offering scholarships for students who want to attend their programs. To apply for their scholarship, please click here.

For students interested in exploring career options:

Applications are now open for the Airport Police Youth Cadet Program. This program helps instill leadership, academic excellence, life skills, and discipline into its participants. The program also seeks to empower students into maximizing their personal, scholastic, and life potential as well as providing early insight into what a career in law enforcement would be like at the Los Angeles International Airport. In order to join the cadet program a person must be between the ages of 13 and 17, maintain a 2.5-grade point average, have no serious criminal record, obtain a medical examination, and complete the cadet academy. The program is free. Participants do not have to be interested in law enforcement as a career to be part of the program. To learn more and apply, click here.

For more information, please contact Crissel Rodriguez, Director of Real World Learning, at crodriguez@davincischools.org.

For students interested in leadership:
The California Department of Rehabilitation is holding an annual week-long leadership program called the Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (YLF). The program is for sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school. Applications are now available for the 2023 program, tentatively scheduled for July 13–19, 2023. If you have any questions regarding this subject, please get in touch with the Youth Leadership Forum by email at YLF@dor.ca.gov.

For students who want to volunteer:
The Rooted Friends Project is seeking volunteers to support a food pantry event, a Friendsgiving event, and a Hawthorne Toy Giveaway. For more details and to sign up, please visit their volunteer webpage.

For students interested in the tech industry:
Brothers Code 2022 is an event hosted by the Hidden Genius Project meant to introduce youth and adults of color to the tech industry as part of National Computer Science Education Week. Participants will practice coding, programming skills, explore career opportunities in the tech sector, network, and find ways to leverage technology to strengthen their communities and reach their goals. This event will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2022, from 8 am – 2 pm. The location is to be determined. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register here.

Applications are now open for the 2023 Hidden Genius Project Intensive Immersion Program. High school students (Hidden Geniuses) participate in 15 months of intensive technical and entrepreneurial training through two 7-week summer sessions and one year of after-school programming. The Deadline to apply is February 19, 2023. Geniuses:

– Create innovative solutions to community challenges and problems
– Hone leadership and entrepreneurial skills and pitch business ideas
– Design their own websites, software, and other technical projects
– Establish healthy relationships and build trust with peers and mentors

Program Eligibility

– Black males of African descent
– Rising 9th – 11th graders
– No programming skills required